Tag: Brendan Loughnane

VIDEO: PFL Finalists Have First Faceoffs In Riyadh Ahead of 2024 Championship

The fighters set to compete for gold at this year’s PFL World Championship stood toe to toe days out from their title showdowns in the Middle East. After completing its main and regional seasons, it’s championship time for the Professional Fighters League. Before the sophomore PFL Europe champions are crowned next month, the global and MENA […]

The fighters set to compete for gold at this year’s PFL World Championship stood toe to toe days out from their title showdowns in the Middle East.

After completing its main and regional seasons, it’s championship time for the Professional Fighters League. Before the sophomore PFL Europe champions are crowned next month, the global and MENA kings — as well as one queen — will be decided.

A long lineup featuring plenty of notable names is set for the 2024 PFL World Championship this Friday, Nov. 29 at the King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Following a series of showcase fights and four MENA finals, six global champions will emerge on the main card, where the headline spots have gone to a pair of UK standouts in 2022 PFL featherweight king Brendan Loughnane and last year’s PFL Europe flyweight champ Dakota Ditcheva, who are slated to collide with Timur Khizriev at featherweight and Taila Santos, respectively.

Ahead of the main and co-main events, those fighters faced off under the observation of former UFC title challenger Dan Hardy this week, as did heavyweights Denis Goltsov and Oleg Popov, light heavyweights Impa Kasanganay and Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov, welterweights Magomed Umalatov and Shamil Musaev, and lightweights Brent Primus and Gadzhi Rabadanov.

Before those matchups play out inside the SmartCage, MENA gold will be wrapped around waists for the very first time, with the likes of Abdullah Al-Qahtani and Ali Taleb looking to end their 2024 campaigns with title glory in Riyadh.

Meanwhile, the showcase bouts that will kick off proceedings at 7:15 AM ET on ESPN+ will include the return of 2023 featherweight title winner Jesus Pinedo, the next fight for top Bellator middleweight contender Costello van Steenis, and an outing for undefeated heavyweight Slim Trabelsi.

For the first time, the PFL championship matchups will see the fighters permitted to throw elbows, which have previously been banned throughout the season and playoff format.

VIDEO: PFL Finalists Have First Faceoffs In Riyadh Ahead of 2024 Championship

The fighters set to compete for gold at this year’s PFL World Championship stood toe to toe days out from their title showdowns in the Middle East. After completing its main and regional seasons, it’s championship time for the Professional Fighters League. Before the sophomore PFL Europe champions are crowned next month, the global and MENA […]

The fighters set to compete for gold at this year’s PFL World Championship stood toe to toe days out from their title showdowns in the Middle East.

After completing its main and regional seasons, it’s championship time for the Professional Fighters League. Before the sophomore PFL Europe champions are crowned next month, the global and MENA kings — as well as one queen — will be decided.

A long lineup featuring plenty of notable names is set for the 2024 PFL World Championship this Friday, Nov. 29 at the King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Following a series of showcase fights and four MENA finals, six global champions will emerge on the main card, where the headline spots have gone to a pair of UK standouts in 2022 PFL featherweight king Brendan Loughnane and last year’s PFL Europe flyweight champ Dakota Ditcheva, who are slated to collide with Timur Khizriev at featherweight and Taila Santos, respectively.

Ahead of the main and co-main events, those fighters faced off under the observation of former UFC title challenger Dan Hardy this week, as did heavyweights Denis Goltsov and Oleg Popov, light heavyweights Impa Kasanganay and Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov, welterweights Magomed Umalatov and Shamil Musaev, and lightweights Brent Primus and Gadzhi Rabadanov.

Before those matchups play out inside the SmartCage, MENA gold will be wrapped around waists for the very first time, with the likes of Abdullah Al-Qahtani and Ali Taleb looking to end their 2024 campaigns with title glory in Riyadh.

Meanwhile, the showcase bouts that will kick off proceedings at 7:15 AM ET on ESPN+ will include the return of 2023 featherweight title winner Jesus Pinedo, the next fight for top Bellator middleweight contender Costello van Steenis, and an outing for undefeated heavyweight Slim Trabelsi.

For the first time, the PFL championship matchups will see the fighters permitted to throw elbows, which have previously been banned throughout the season and playoff format.

VIDEO: PFL Finalists Have First Faceoffs In Riyadh Ahead of 2024 Championship

The fighters set to compete for gold at this year’s PFL World Championship stood toe to toe days out from their title showdowns in the Middle East. After completing its main and regional seasons, it’s championship time for the Professional Fighters League. Before the sophomore PFL Europe champions are crowned next month, the global and MENA […]

The fighters set to compete for gold at this year’s PFL World Championship stood toe to toe days out from their title showdowns in the Middle East.

After completing its main and regional seasons, it’s championship time for the Professional Fighters League. Before the sophomore PFL Europe champions are crowned next month, the global and MENA kings — as well as one queen — will be decided.

A long lineup featuring plenty of notable names is set for the 2024 PFL World Championship this Friday, Nov. 29 at the King Saud University (KSU) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

Following a series of showcase fights and four MENA finals, six global champions will emerge on the main card, where the headline spots have gone to a pair of UK standouts in 2022 PFL featherweight king Brendan Loughnane and last year’s PFL Europe flyweight champ Dakota Ditcheva, who are slated to collide with Timur Khizriev at featherweight and Taila Santos, respectively.

Ahead of the main and co-main events, those fighters faced off under the observation of former UFC title challenger Dan Hardy this week, as did heavyweights Denis Goltsov and Oleg Popov, light heavyweights Impa Kasanganay and Dovletzhan Yagshimuradov, welterweights Magomed Umalatov and Shamil Musaev, and lightweights Brent Primus and Gadzhi Rabadanov.

Before those matchups play out inside the SmartCage, MENA gold will be wrapped around waists for the very first time, with the likes of Abdullah Al-Qahtani and Ali Taleb looking to end their 2024 campaigns with title glory in Riyadh.

Meanwhile, the showcase bouts that will kick off proceedings at 7:15 AM ET on ESPN+ will include the return of 2023 featherweight title winner Jesus Pinedo, the next fight for top Bellator middleweight contender Costello van Steenis, and an outing for undefeated heavyweight Slim Trabelsi.

For the first time, the PFL championship matchups will see the fighters permitted to throw elbows, which have previously been banned throughout the season and playoff format.

PFL Finalist Admits He Nearly Retired Before Fighting For His Second World Championship Win

This Friday night in Riyadh, Brendan Loughnane looks to become a two-time PFL champion at featherweight. The Brit’s 2024 campaign comes to an end when he faces the undefeated Timur Khizriev in the main event in a fascinating match-up. Loughnane’s run in the regular season has consisted of back-to-back finishes against Pedro Carvalho and Justin […]

This Friday night in Riyadh, Brendan Loughnane looks to become a two-time PFL champion at featherweight. The Brit’s 2024 campaign comes to an end when he faces the undefeated Timur Khizriev in the main event in a fascinating match-up.

Loughnane’s run in the regular season has consisted of back-to-back finishes against Pedro Carvalho and Justin Gonzales which were followed by a split decision win over Kai Kamaka III. However, what makes his journey to the finals this year so impressive is what happened in 2023.

After defeating the likes of Bubba Jenkins and Chris Wade in 2022 to become the champion, Loughnane looked to do it again for the second time in a row. Having already beaten the top names in his division, he would have been a big favorite to do just that at the start of the next season.

After stopping Marlon Moraes in his first bout, the 35-fight veteran was finished for the first time in his career when he was knocked out by Jesus Pinedo in the opening round with Pinedo going on to win the world championship. After taking the rest of 2023 off, the former champion has since returned with a rejuvenated drive.

Ahead of his return on November 29, Loughnane revealed in a recent interview with Mirror Fighting that after his loss to Pinedo, he contemplated retirement having already set himself and his family up financially by winning the 2022 season. Now, he has the chance to double that by becoming the first of 18 men to beat Khizriev.

“It was difficult. I didn’t really want to do it again,” he said. “I thought ‘I’m done with this sport. I’ve been knocked out, I’ve got way over $1million in my account. What am I doing this for?’ I had to reassess everything, but I’ve come back and I’ve shown tenacity in the champion that I am. I’ve come back and shown everyone that sometimes you get knocked down in life, or knocked out in my case and you’ve got to come back stronger.”

PFL Finalist Admits He Nearly Retired Before Fighting For His Second World Championship Win

This Friday night in Riyadh, Brendan Loughnane looks to become a two-time PFL champion at featherweight. The Brit’s 2024 campaign comes to an end when he faces the undefeated Timur Khizriev in the main event in a fascinating match-up. Loughnane’s run in the regular season has consisted of back-to-back finishes against Pedro Carvalho and Justin […]

This Friday night in Riyadh, Brendan Loughnane looks to become a two-time PFL champion at featherweight. The Brit’s 2024 campaign comes to an end when he faces the undefeated Timur Khizriev in the main event in a fascinating match-up.

Loughnane’s run in the regular season has consisted of back-to-back finishes against Pedro Carvalho and Justin Gonzales which were followed by a split decision win over Kai Kamaka III. However, what makes his journey to the finals this year so impressive is what happened in 2023.

After defeating the likes of Bubba Jenkins and Chris Wade in 2022 to become the champion, Loughnane looked to do it again for the second time in a row. Having already beaten the top names in his division, he would have been a big favorite to do just that at the start of the next season.

After stopping Marlon Moraes in his first bout, the 35-fight veteran was finished for the first time in his career when he was knocked out by Jesus Pinedo in the opening round with Pinedo going on to win the world championship. After taking the rest of 2023 off, the former champion has since returned with a rejuvenated drive.

Ahead of his return on November 29, Loughnane revealed in a recent interview with Mirror Fighting that after his loss to Pinedo, he contemplated retirement having already set himself and his family up financially by winning the 2022 season. Now, he has the chance to double that by becoming the first of 18 men to beat Khizriev.

“It was difficult. I didn’t really want to do it again,” he said. “I thought ‘I’m done with this sport. I’ve been knocked out, I’ve got way over $1million in my account. What am I doing this for?’ I had to reassess everything, but I’ve come back and I’ve shown tenacity in the champion that I am. I’ve come back and shown everyone that sometimes you get knocked down in life, or knocked out in my case and you’ve got to come back stronger.”

Brendan Loughnane vs. Timur Khizriev – Odds and Match Preview

Brendan LoughnaneThe upcoming PFL MMA Featherweight finals will feature an exciting matchup between Brendan Loughnane and Timur Khizriev, with a…

Brendan Loughnane

The upcoming PFL MMA Featherweight finals will feature an exciting matchup between Brendan Loughnane and Timur Khizriev, with a world title and a million-dollar prize on the line. This high-stakes bout promises to be an exciting contest.

Brendan Loughnane vs. Timur Khizriev

Timur Khizriev is considered the clear favorite to win the upcoming PFL MMA Featherweight finals against Brendan Loughnane. The odds heavily favor Khizriev, with one bookmaker offering odds of 1.185 for his victory, while Loughnane is listed as the underdog with odds of 4.45 (source: https://cryptobetting.ltd/)

This significant difference in odds suggests that bookmakers and bettors view Khizriev as having a much higher probability of winning the fight. Another source confirms this trend, indicating that Khizriev is favored at odds of 1.33.

These odds reflect the betting market’s confidence in Timur Khizriev’s undefeated record and his impressive run in the PFL tournament. However, it’s worth noting that odds can fluctuate as the fight approaches and more bets are placed. Despite being the underdog, Loughnane’s experience and previous success in the PFL could make for an interesting matchup.

England’s Brendan Loughnane has earned his spot in the finals for the third time in four years. He’s coming into this fight with an impressive record of 30 wins and 5 losses and is currently riding a three-fight winning streak. Loughnane is a former PFL champion, having won the title in 2022, he is a veteran performing at the highest level of the promotion. His recent victory over Kai Kamaka III in a decision showcased that he can manage to stay one step ahead of his opponent throughout the fight.

PFL
Mandatory Credit: PFL

On the other side of the cage, we have Dagestan’s Timur Khizriev, an undefeated Russian standout with a perfect record of 17 wins and no losses. Khizriev is a newcomer to the PFL, having previously competed in Bellator MMA before joining the PFL season in 2024. His path to the finals has been impressive, as he defeated three experienced opponents: Gabriel Braga, Enrique Barzola, and Brett Johns.

Brendan Loughnane has shown versatility in his fighting style having started training in MMA in his teens. He is not a specialist in any single area of the sport. Khizriev has a kickboxing background competing in Sanda and Karate where he has picked up national titles. Prior to that, he competed in freestyle wrestling. With dangerous kicks and wrestling, ‘Imam’ Khizriev is dangerous at any range. His coach, Mansur Uchakaev, is a champion in combat sambo.

For Brendan Loughnane, this is an opportunity to reclaim the PFL championship and prove his dominance in the featherweight division. For Khizriev, this is a chance to maintain his undefeated record and announce himself as a major force in the PFL by defeating a former champion.

The stakes couldn’t be higher, with both the PFL Featherweight World Title and a million-dollar prize on the line. It all goes down live on November 29 hosted in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Also on the card will be the PFL 2024 finals for many weight classes but make sure to check out the Women’s Flyweight final featuring Dakota Ditcehva and Talia Santos.